Improving the steering/handling on my A6

[hankhill]

I have a 2009 A6 Estate with the 3.0T supercharged engine. As everyone knows it’s a great powertrain, however I’m not here to talk about tuning/remapping. My issue is with the steering and handling, which is vague to say the least. My previous BMW330i had good direct steering, albeit a bit heavy, but in the Audi you literally don’t know which way the wheels are pointing sometimes. I now understand what the road testers mean when they compare Audi and BMW in this department.

What I’m here to ask is whether anything can be done to improve the steering feel within a sensible budget. Here are my thoughts. The car is an SE model with 17” wheels and 225/50R17 tyres (conti 3's). The tyres will need replacing soon, and what I’m here to ask opinions on is whether going to 18” or even 19” wheels and tyres will make much difference? Will the steering feel improve, or will I just end up with a crashy ride? As an SE I guess its just standard suspension, I don’t know if an S-Line model would have had different suspension or is the S-Line trim purely cosmetic differences compared to SE?

Thoughts and opinions welcome.

[fatboy b]

Can't help, but great lurking!!

[hankhill]

Yeah, to my surprise my old standard forum login still worked

[anonymous-user]

Has it got the electric power steering? I think this dulls the feel of the steering a lot, to the point it feels like stretching a rubber band rather anything to do with steering. Not a lot that can be done about that as far as I know.

[OldBuoy]

I don't think bigger wheels and tyres will give you more steering feel. The Sline has bigger wheels, lower/stiffer suspension and a firm ride.

If you can find a good indi tyre place speak to them re a different brand of tyre to improve feel. Worn tyres won't help so a new set of decent tyres may well benifit.

I quite like the SE so you may just get used to the lighter steering.

[Dr G]

Evo magazine ran a long tyre test article a couple of months ago and on each model made some (subjective) comments on 'feel' independent of the measured results. I don't have a copy to hand but this might be a useful read before choosing your next brand of tyres.

I don't think a massive amount can be done to improve feel through the wheel, it simply isn't engineered to be there. The design spec on this sort of a car puts refinement, ease of use and very low NVH well before all those motoring journalist terms and comparisons to go kart steering. S-Line springs/dampers would very likely make the car feel a bit more direct and responsive but no A6 is really a car to throw around.

[Kell]

There are no two ways about it, my A6 (C6) is nowhere near as 'good' to drive as our old (E61) 5-series.

But in every other aspect I prefer the Audi. Exterior looks, interior, quattro, 4-rings v propeller on the front.

[hankhill]

Thanks for the replies, looks like there's not much sensible point doing anything other than new tyres, just need to decide what tyres to go with for best feel and handling, that's a whole new discussion I'll do some searching and maybe start a new thread.

[Gio G]

No real advice, but know what you mean about the 3.0T power plant - loved mine. Agree, the steering and handling is a bit vague, hence why I went for the A4, however allot of the Audi's will not have the same "direct" feel that BMW's have.

G